


The Lines We Amend

by karrenia_rune



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Challenge: wherenowoman Mother's Day Fest, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-15
Updated: 2011-05-15
Packaged: 2017-10-19 10:05:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/199665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karrenia_rune/pseuds/karrenia_rune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pretty much what it says on the tin, a look at the bond between Kira Nerys and Tora Ziyal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Lines We Amend

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2011 Where No Woman challenge, Mother's Day Fest

Author: karrenia  
Title: The Lines We Amend  
Fandom: ST: Deep Space Nine  
Word Count: 1,303  
Characters: Kira Nerys, Tora Ziyal  
Rating: PG  
Prompt: the family we choose isn't exactly obvious, even to ourselves  
For the 2011 Mother's Day Fest

Disclaimer: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine belongs to Paramount, UPN and its producers and directors; it is not mine. Written for the 2011 Star Trek-themed Live Journal Community Where No Woman has Gone Before Mother’s Day Fest featuring Kira Nerys and Tora Ziyal

 

“The Lines We Amend” by karrenia

She can tell by the looks and sidelong glances that her presence aboard the station, is well, problematic at best, even dangerous at worst.

She cannot help the fact that she can claim to be a part of two worlds and still feel as if she does not belong. After all this time, Tora Ziyal cannot say for certain why instead of making her feel angry or frustrated; it just makes her feel incredibly sad.

Tora Ziyal had never known quite what to expect of the Bajorans; other than that had earned a reputation as fiery and volatile revolutionaries who expressed a deep-seated belief in their Faith and beings known as the Prophets.

She had subsequently learned enough about the events that transpired during the Occupation and much more recently the pull out by the Cardassian forces to know that this feeling of being visible yet not a visible will never truly go away. That feeling would never truly go away, but this is not a line of thought that she wished to pursue.

She had a portrait commission due in a few days’ time for her art class. And while she was only ¾ of the way to completing the paintings, she instead chose to work on a sketch for someone who has come to mean as much in her life as her father. Who, up until, recently, had been the sole anchor in her life.

Here, aboard the station it was if she had discovered something larger than herself and another anchor and a safe harbor.

If asked she could not have said for certain what drew her to Major Kira Nerys, or perhaps she was the one who had it all backwards, and it was Kira who had reached out to her first; but the bond, once acknowledged was unmistakable.

She paused in front of the yet incomplete sketch on her pad, her hair pinned up on the top of her head, pondering. The proportions of the face and the cheek bones were quite correct. She did feel a bit skeptical about the ridge of bony cartilage spreading across the nose of the sketch.

If there was anything about Kira that she had learned it was that the woman was stubborn to a fault. In fact that very stubborn fire and determination were traits that Tora Ziyal most admired about the woman.

A line and chalk drawing that captured the woman Ziyal had come to rely on more and more, was to be her gift to Kira on one of the Bajoran’s major festivals.  
She felt that if she could not as adequately express her feelings of warmth and gratitude for not only giving her a home aboard the station, but also for being there for her when it counted; and even when it was something as mundane as providing her art supplies; then it this was the least she could do for Kira in return. In the back of her mind Ziyal thought, ‘After all, it’s the thought that counts.’

Kira had just completed a double duty shift at Ops and had considered going to bed without removing her boots first when the chime from her door sounded. “Enter,” she sighed wondering who might be coming to see her this late in the evening.

The corridors outside her quarters were dimmed for the late hour and she propelled herself to her feet; once at the door she was surprised but equally pleased to seeTora Ziyal.

“Ziyal!

“Am I disturbing you, Major,” asked the girl.

“No, no. Not at all. Please come in.” Kira, never one to over-analyze her feelings about a situation ushered Ziyal inside her quarters immediately with no further questions asked.

“Thank you.”

“Have a seat anywhere,” Kira waved a hand in the general direction of her living area, indicating and Ziyal promptly did so, careful not to cause any creasing to the sketch book she held in her hands.

Kira came over and sat down on the couch. “So, what’s going on?”  
With a shy smile and a blush spreading across her pale-skinned cheeks Ziyal flipped open the cover of her sketch book. “I’m sorry to come by so late but I had to give this to you, and well, I thought it might be better to do privately.”

Kira divided her gaze between the young woman and the sketch that she held out for Kira’s inspection: it was her own face in profile and then from a frontal view in the lower left hand side of the page. Even done in chalk and ink the resemblance was uncanny. “It’s lovely and I’m honored, but…”

“Because, I wanted to present you with a gift suitable for the upcoming Bajoran holiday; and well,” Ziyal paused and trailed off, dipping her head the hair coming down to fall across her eyes. “I hope you would like this.

“I do,” Kira replied, astonished and pleased at the girl’s heartfelt gift. Kira had to look away for a just a moment as she felt moisture welling up in the corners of her eyes and then reached up to brush a stray lock of her auburn hair.

“It’s beautiful,” she finally replied picking up the sketch pad and looking at the drawing from different angles.

“Thank you. I’m glad that you like it.” Ziyal replied.

“Ziyal,” Kira added. “Why I do get the distinct impression that this isn’t the only reason that you came here tonight? “

“It’s nothing…..” Ziyal trailed off.

“If there’s anything bothering, you know my door is always open,” replied Kira.

“I just, well, I was never quite certain at first why you took me in”

“I took you in because you needed someone to look after you, and it was obvious to anyone with eyes to see that your damn father wasn’t up to the task!” Kira sputtered, realizing that her reserves of anger towards the man that was this girl’s father, as difficult as they were, should have had no bearing on the feeling that harbored for Tora Ziyal as a person.

In a calmer and softer tone of voice Kira said: “Because, it was the right thing to do.”  
Ziyal nodded. “Even if my well mixed race is problematic, even difficult for people to adjust to?”

“Even then,” Kira replied with a curt nod. “You’re not getting static out there because of it are you?”

“No more so than usual or as I expected I would.”

“I figure that you always will; the trick is learning to deal with it. Or at least not letting it show that they’re getting to you.” Kira sighed, “ And believe me, from the first moment I accepted this assignment and having to take orders from Star Fleet that is a hell of a lot easier said than done.”

“I’ve heard stories about that.” Ziyal smiled, realizing even as she did so that some if not all of the tension she had been holding in had begun to seep away. She realized without over analyzing the on that she liked Kira Nerys, not just because of the position she held or the fact that she had helped her out of a very difficult situation where there had seemed no other options; but as a person she could relate to and talk to about things.

Here was somebody who would listen, who would care and more importantly, could relate to her own on her own terms and as an individual. Ziyal smiled and reached out a hand. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Kira replied with a smile. “Now, I think we should both get some sleep, I’ve got another meeting with the station department heads and I understand that you’ve got a commission to complete for your art class.”

“Good knight, then, Kira,” Ziyal said.

“Good night, Ziyal, and thanks for gift.”


End file.
